Before Mahindra even revealed the new generation Mahindra Thar, there was talk of the model being offered in a bare-boned, base-spec variant. Given the Thar’s sub-4 metre dimensions, this version was expected to get a 1.5 litre diesel engine shared with the TUV300 and Bolero, and would be a 4x2 variant.
However, while the Thar does have a base AX (O) variant today, 4x4 is standard and you can only choose between 2.0 litre petrol and 2.2 litre diesel engines. In fact, the company addressed the rumours of a lower displacement Thar that could benefit from small car tax benefits but said it chose not to go that way as the “Thar is all about power”.
Even so, there have been multiple reports and fresh rumours of this cost-effective 4x2 Thar becoming a reality. Of course, we have no idea of the sources or their authenticity and Mahindra hasn’t officially confirmed any such plans. So until that happens, we figured, why not explore the case for it and see if it even makes sense to begin with?
